RELAY FOR LIFE 2008

Well, Relay is over for another year and it was a huge success, our team having raised almost $6,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society. We generated a lot of public interest this year as our tent was on the side of the park facing the street. We were "Knitting for a Cure". This is a program where we knit scarves and hats for people undergoing treatment for breast cancer. The yarn is donated and the scarves are given free of charge. Since the project's start, we have made and donated some 800 scarves and hats.

People came in droves, with children and dogs, we gave knitting and spinning lessons and a good time was had by all.

Visitors wanted to learn how, so we had a piece of "community knitting" that could be picked up by anyone and worked on for a row or two.

People gathered around the two spinning wheels onsite for a demonstration of how yarn is made. We were delighted that there was so much interest in the art.

This is Matty. Matty was taking her owner for a walk in the park and decided to stop by for a visit. She dressed in yellow, initially. Isn't she beautiful? Is there such a thing as a Wheaten Terrier Sweater? Hey, don't get any big ideas about shearing ME...

Upon detecting the "pink" theme, Matty insisted on being taken home for a bath and change of clothes. After a nice bath Matty was back, proudly sporting pink for the occasion. She was ever-such-a-lady.

This is Matty after she had learned everything there was to know about spinning, knitting and fiber arts and wanted to "move on" to the cheesy treats.

There is DEFINTELY joy in knitting!

MIDNIGHT MAGIC STARFISH

Awhile back, there was a great big fuss on the dishcloth list I belong to about Bernat Handicrafter Midnight Magic 100% cotton. Nay, not a fuss - more like a frenzy. As with such things, there was a flurry of activity involving said cotton - needles and knitters were coming out of the woodwork to knit with this glorious colourway. As is almost always the case when a colour becomes wildly popular, the lovely people who manufacture it promptly discontinue it. They did not disappoint this time.

Anyway, I had some set aside for just such an occasion as this - Sew-Funky's starfish pattern (pink one photographed below in earlier post) and I said to myself, "Myself," I said, "I bet Midnight Magic would be an ideal colour for the wee starfishie." Here it is. Let me know what you think?

I'm likin' it!

Joy in Knitting!

STAR GAZING

Well thanks again to Sew-Funky for another fabulous design. Check out this gorgeous starfish cloth and get the free pattern at Sew-Funky's site. I am in love with this design. It was so easy and addictive, I may have to have one in every hue. The one pictured here is in a wonderful pink variegated by Honeysuckle Yarns. Gotta go fishing...
Joy in Knitting!

"THE" SOCK (THAT'S SOCK, SINGULAR)

Well, folks, earlier in the year - like, January - I resolved to make another sock. It hasn't happened yet. I was hoping that Almighty God would take a row of the first sock's ribbing and make it a mate but apparently, this was a one-hit-wonder with the Almighty. Evidently, the Almighty doesn't do socks.

I COULD have just photographed the one sock twice and SAY I had made the mate but then you might as well put me in an overnight pouch and FedEx me straight to Hell, without passing GO and definitely without collecting $200 worth of sock yarn. So here is the one picture of the one sock. It has been so long since I made it that I lost the pattern. I tried using that as an excuse. You know, "But God, I lost the pattern - couldn't you just perform one more little miracle..." but He shook His head and wagged His admonishing digit in my face and said, "Pick up thy knitting needles and knit." He had an accomplice. Linda (of Linda's Craftique) was "kind enough" to provide me with another copy of the pattern. Gee, thanks. I even offered her some Heart Attack Pie (scroll down for the recipe) NOT to give me the pattern, but she and the Almighty are in cahoots - nay, thick as thieves.

So, I'm picking up my needles and the other half of the delish aloe and jojoba yarn and I'm off to the Sock Races...

Um, Joy in Knitting?

WINDMILL DISHCLOTH!

Thanks to blogger: http://sew-funky.blogspot.com/2008/05/windmill-dishcloth.html I have completed a Windmill Dishcloth. I love it! Thanks to Sew-Funky for creating this cloth. My version is pictured below. I used Sugar 'n Cream Floral Prints on 4.5 mm needles. This makes quite a large cloth and I think I will try size 4.0 mm for my next one (and there WILL be a next one!) Thanks Sew-Funky!

It's so delightfully Don Quixotic!

Joy in Knitting!